The Promises We Made
by FarflungSkull
Summary: When Yuuki returns to Cross Academy, she worries how Zero will react to the reason for her trip back home. YuukiXZero


_The next time we meet... I'll kill you._

She knew he meant what he said; he always did when it came to killing vampires. She had no reason to think that, just because he'd said it to _her_, he would take back his promise. She also knew that what she'd said to him- that she would keep running so that he would then have a reason to live- was the truth. But there came a time when she realized that she needed him. Yes, she was a pureblood, the most feared and respected and highest form of vampire in existance. But she came to understand that her desires; her heart; all of her memories... They were all human now. She cared deeply for and loved Kaname, her older brother, with all her soul, but there was always one thing missing that kept the brown-haired princess from being able to put a genuine smile of glee on her face.

_I know I said I'd run... but I just can't any longer._

_ Zero..._

Standing before the wrought-iron gates of the beloved private academy she once called home and shared memories with her friends and headmaster, Yuuki Cross- or Yuuki _Kuran_, as she was rightfully born into- hesitated for a moment, red-brown eyes fixated above her to the majestic buildings that made up Cross Academy. Was it the right thing to do- return to the place where she and Zero parted ways, almost a year and a half ago. She had promised him to stay away. But no matter how much she tried, her heart wouldn't stop aching to see him again, even if it was just once and it was from being at the receiving end of the Bloody Rose. Could she really do this? Could she really torture Zero even more by coming back for him? He would probably kill her before she could get a chance to explain, and if it was selfish of her to want nothing more than to feel his warm hands or see his beautiful lavender eyes again, then she was the most selfish person in the world.

"Yuuki... are you ready?"

The princess turned her wide, nervous eyes up to the young man standing by her side, looking down at her with his beautiful brown eyes. His expression was the most sweetest look she'd ever seen for him and the thought made her heart clench with guilt. Yuuki still couldn't understand how understanding and accepting of her feelings for the vampire hunter Kaname had been when she'd told him a few weeks ago. After everything he had done for her; protecting her, treating her like the delicate princess he always saw her as... Yuuki no longer felt deserving of his kindness. But her mind was made nevertheless, and she swallowed a silent nervous gulp before nodding to her brother. Shortly after that, the two, along with the several other ex-Night Class nobles, headed into the Academy, heads held up and only one of them anxious for what was to come.

Silently, the group went through the too-familiar halls of the school and Yuuki couldn't help but fall behind and gingerly touch the wall next to her, staring at it with such a distant and saddened look that it seemed she might cry any moment.

_So many memories..._ Yuuki thought as her fingertips glided down the smooth wallpaper, remembering everything from before she'd woken up as her true vampire self. She knew she shouldn't feel anything from such memories, but she did. She felt worry for Yori, whom she'd left so suddenly to pursue a life with Kaname; for the Headmaster, who had easily accepted her choice with her brother. But what she felt the most was regret from leaving Zero and regret from herself, not realizing her true feelings when it was too late.

_What was _he_ feeling, when he saw me leave with Kaname...? _Yuuki clenched her hand against the wall, closing her eyes tightly at that thought, guilt wracking through her again at the idea of Zero's condition since she left. _How could I be so stupid, doing that to him? I left him to suffer with his falling to Level E to be happy... And I've hurt him so much before, too. How can I expect him to just forgive me like always and act like nothing has happened?_

"Yuuki." Kaname's voice brought Yuuki back to the present, and she snapped her eyes open, glancing over to the tall brunette vampire who held his hand out for her to take. "We're almost to the Headmaster's office. Let's continue."

"Ah, yes; of course!" the tiny girl nodded, going forward to her brother's side. They went on down the hallway a little more and Yuuki's thoughts wandered to the adoptive father who had raised her. Being away from him for so long had made her come to terms with finally thinking about calling him 'Father' or 'Dad' like he'd always wanted. After all, Kaien _had_ taken her in with no questions and then showed her a world she would eventually come to live in. With everything he'd done for her, the least she could do in return was use a title he'd always wanted her to call him...

"Are you nervous?" Kaname asked gently at her side as the two stopped in front of Kaien's office door. The other nobles had given the siblings time alone by going to the closed Moon Dormitory. Yuuki looked up at her brother, thought hard about her answer, then turned her red-brown gaze down and gave a tiny nod. She had to be honest with herself; she was extremely nervous about everything she was doing and about to do. But she still stood by her choice and wouldn't back down for anything. To be frank, she was a bit happy to see the headmaster again after so long of being gone. She was beginning to miss his eccentric behavior and hearing him whine whenever she refused to call him father.

With a nod of understanding, Kaname knocked twice on the dark-wood door and opened it completely. "Headmaster Cross. We have returned," Kaname announced in his calm, cool voice that still managed to send shivers down her spine, but in a different way now. Yuuki peered up from his side to see the familiar head of dirty-blond hair at the desk across the room. The head raised at Kaname's voice and behind a pair of glasses, Yuuki saw Kaien's hazel eyes widen until they were larger than dinner plates. He stood up abruptly then, nearly knocking over his chair in the process, and gasped loudly. Yuuki couldn't help but smile fondly at the older man, knowing that he had missed her as much as she had missed him.

"Is that really you...?" Kaien breathed out in shock, clearly still bowled over. Kaname remained where he was, but Yuuki nodded and stepped forward, the smile still on her face.

"Yes. It is... Father," the brown-haired pureblood replied quietly, watching as Kaien realized what she'd called him willingly. Once it registered to him, the blond man let out an overjoyed yelp of happiness and a broad smile stretched onto his lips. He bounded over to Yuuki, pulling her into a tight embrace and waterfalls of tears flowed down his cheeks. Yuuki grunted but didn't pull back; instead, she smiled more and laid her hands on his back in a brief hug until Kaien pulled back.

"Oh, I can't believe you're back, Yuuki! You can't understand how _boring_ it is around here without you to cook for! All I ever get is Zero moping and brooding around, muttering things under his breath whenever I try to be nice to him!" Kaien continued to weep into his arm, not noticing Yuuki's wide-eyed reaction to Zero's name. But then the headmaster perked up again, beaming his usual happy smile to his adopted daughter. "But now that you're back, we can be a family again!"

"Zero's still here, right? Where is he, Father?" Yuuki asked him desperately, heart pounding at the impending reunion with the silver-haired vampire hunter. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but it was difficult to know what to say first before anything else. The girl hoped that he'd let her speak before pulling the trigger on her, though. _Headmas- Father said that Zero's been moping, though. That means he hasn't given up yet..._

"Zero... He's always in his room now. After he performs his duties in the Day Class, he goes straight to his room and doesn't come out until morning for school," Kaien explained, his tears instantly stopping as he become solemn at the mention of his other 'child'. He looked between the two Kurans, a curious expression befalling his young face. "By the way, why did you two return? I thought there were still things you had to do outside of the Academy."

Kaname nodded and came closer finally, allowing Yuuki to stare down at the floor in hard contemplation at the thought of Zero confining himself to his room. It hurt her to think of the lavender-eyed male sticking inside his room, with only his own self as company when he had other people to be around. Some things never would change, it seemed.

"Some unexpected things have come up that has caused us to come back," Kaname explained cooily while also avoiding saying the specifics in front of Yuuki. He glanced down to his sister, smiling tightly to her. "You should go greet Kiryuu, Yuuki. He must miss you greatly after all this time," he suggested; the brunette girl nodded wordlessly and spun around to rush out the door. But before she could, Kaname spoke up once more. "Yuuki. If he hurts you in any way at all... I _will_ kill him."

Knowing her brother was telling the truth just as much as Zero was a year ago, Yuuki simply ran out of the room again, heading in the direction of the Sun Dormitory, clearly remembering the way to Zero's room. As she got closer and closer, her heart raced even faster than it ever had before. What could she say to him? How would he react to her? Would he still accept her even though he didn't the last time they saw each other? So many questions flew through the princess's head and none of them were easily answered. The only thing she knew was how she felt for him and that she had to tell him. That was the sole purpose of returning to Cross Academy; for her to tell him that she loved him.

Yet, when she reached the door to her Guardian partner's room, she could distinctly hear the clicking of the safety of a gun turning off. Yuuki froze in front of the door, knowing what was waiting for her on the other side. She could picture Zero either standing or sitting on his bed, his Bloody Rose aimed directly at the closed door, and a furrowed-eyebrow expression on his face. If she tried opening the door, she would most likely be shot on the spot.

* * *

"Step foot in here and _die_, vampire."

What was _she_ doing here? He remember distinctly telling her a year ago that if he ever saw her again, he'd kill her. It was his sworn duty as a vampire hunter to kill vampires, after all, and purebloods were the ones the silver-haired teen was itching to destroy himself. Yet, beyond his door was one of the purebloods whom he wanted to kill most of all. But his complete heart wasn't into it like if it were the male Kuran outside his door. Zero still struggled to remind himself that the Yuuki he once knew- the Yuuki he had found himself falling for years ago- was no longer in existence. In her stead was a monster he didn't want to recognize.

Zero grunted quietly, narrowing his light violet eyes at the door in the darkened room, keeping the Bloody Rose gun aimed at the wood in case the pureblood dared enter his room.

He'd sensed the presence of a group of vampires entering the academy grounds that moment they'd come and had instantly got ready for battle. He had every intention to go through with his word to kill her when he saw her; but he didn't understand why the thought of seeing her face again made him hesitant to shoot. Zero stiffened himself, shaking that thought from his head irritably. He refused to allow foolish ideas distract him from his task at hand.

"Zero..." came Yuuki's soft voice, sounding exactly as she always had in the past, which broke past the young man's barriers just a bit from the memories. He grunted again and shut his eyes tightly before opening them once more and growling.

"I'll shoot!" he warned her in a barking shout, though the thought of shooting Yuuki pained him deeply.

_No!_ Zero thought brashly to himself _This isn't the same Yuuki! This is just the shell of her! There's nothing remaining of the Yuuki I once knew..._

Despite telling himself that firmly, he still found himself unable to pull the trigger when the door slowly opened, spilling light from the hallway outside. He watched with a terse position as that familiar head of silky brown hair stepped inside the room, her wide eyes anxious and cautious of his every move. Their eyes met and Zero felt his heart clench tightly in his chest. She still looked the exact same as when she left... and when she was still a naïve, innocent human. She still looked like the girl he had drunk from on occasion when his body couldn't handle the Blood Tablets and thirsted for warm, fresh blood. Nothing had changed...

Except Yuuki was now a pureblood vampire. She always had been, even if she didn't know of it. She had been _born_ as a pureblood vampire, born to marry that Kuran bastard and continue the pureblood lineage. And vampires, even purebloods, were to be destroyed off the face of the planet with their disgusting constant cravings of human blood and the way they enjoyed hunting their prey like wild animals. It was enough to make Zero sick to his stomach.

"Zero..." Yuuki murmured, raising her hands ever so slowly to show that she was unarmed and far from going to attack. But he still didn't lower his weapon; he refused to give in to the side that wanted nothing more than to hold Yuuki and be reassured that she was staying for good.

"Why did you come back? You remember what I said, don't you?" Zero snapped coldly, keeping his gun straight at the brunette girl in front of him. "I _will_ kill you, Yuuki Cro-" He stopped suddenly, realizing the true name of this girl; his eyes narrowed more at the thought. "No... Yuuki _Kuran_," he amended in a hard tone, taking a step backward as Yuuki began walking toward him. Why couldn't he shoot already? Why was he hesitating, just because she looked the same as before everything fell apart? If it were any other vampire, the teen hunter would have easily shot the beast and be done with it. But this girl, this simple girl who was looking at him with such saddened and soothing eyes, was making him re-think his decision in a way no one else could.

"Zero... I'm sorry," Yuuki whispered to the boy, her voice sorrowful and sincere. He took another step away from her as she she moved forward again. "I know that seeing me right now is probably hurting you so much... and I'm sorry for that. But I _had_ to see you..."

Zero's firm stance faltered just a bit at her words, disbelief overpowering every other vampire hunter sense in his body. She had to see him? What need could Yuuki have when she had her precious Kaname? The thought made Zero widen his eyes as well and he let out ragged breathes, trying to comprehend everything. The gun lowered as the boy nearly tumbled backward onto his bed, eyes still fixated on the vampire princess in front of him. Quickly, he shook his head, refusing to believe her.

"No!" he said loudly, voice cracking slightly at the strain going through his body at that moment. "Stay away! I-I'll shoot you, Yuuki!"

"You can shoot me if you'd like... After all, that's the least I can do since I've done so much to hurt you already," Yuuki said softly, stopping in front of him. He looked down, seeing the conflicted look in her red-brown eyes. They were nothing like the eyes of other vampires; even Level E's were still beast-like in their blood lust. But Yuuki looked like herself- human, innocent and the girl he always had to protect to make up for her help in his younger years.

Seeing the sadness and grief in those beautiful eyes he more than once gazed into, Zero knew that he was completely captivated by her again. She would always do that to him, just by being her caring, comforting self. Vampire or human, it didn't matter. Her words and actions always managed to calm the boy and that was what he wanted from her. Zero dropped his weapon like it was on fire suddenly, startling Yuuki for a moment, then grabbed her in for an embrace.

"Yuuki...!" he shuddered out guiltily, holding her close to him. He felt the girl hesitate before wrapping her arms around his chest, burying her small head against his shoulder. "Don't... don't ever apologize to me like that again... You've never hurt me. _Never_."

"But I did!" Yuuki cried, pulling back to cup her hands to his cheeks, looking up at him with her own guilt. "I've hurt you so many times, Zero! Always gazing at Kaname in front of you; forcing you to drink my blood when I was human; even leaving you here alone! I've hurt you so much and I don't deserve you!" Tears had by now filled her dark red eyes and Zero wryly smiled, reaching over to gently wipe them away, then using that hand to brush against her cheek. Yuuki leaned her face against his hand, closing her eyes lightly.

"No, Yuuki... It's _me_ who doesn't deserve _you_..." Zero murmured with a chuckle to himself. He would never deserve such a wonderful girl like her. He could try to make amends for the next thousand years and it still wouldn't make up for what he'd done to her. He slowly sank down against the foot of his bed, Yuuki crumpling in his arms as he did, and his lavender gaze rose to the ceiling, a myriad of emotions welling into his heart. He promised her... He promised he'd kill her if she returned. Yet as much as he knew he might have to fulfill that promise, Zero ached at the thought of doing so. He loved her so much, even though she had re-awakened as her true form. He loved her... But why had she returned to see him?

As if sensing his confusion, Yuuki raised her head to meet his pained eyes, hers soft and comforting as they had been before. She gently trailed her fingers from his neck to his cheeks, tentatively and ready to pull back at any moment. There were no words between them now, only gazes and their unbroken bond. Slowly, as though not sure if he could, Zero reached up and brushed his own fingers through Yuuki's long brown hair, to which she closed her eyes and leaned her head into his palm again, a tiny smile going to her small lips.

"Yuuki..." Zero whispered huskily into the dark room.

"I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it... You'd always been there with me, through every little thing, Zero," Yuuki said softly, using both her hands to hold onto his hand next her cheek. "You always stood by my side, even when I was being pushy and did stupid things that would hurt you. You helped me when I was at my worst; when I needed someone there to hold me..." She opened her eyes and brought them up to Zero's once more, this time the red-brown hues set with tenderness and determination. "Zero... This is what I want, more than anything. This, right here... being with you and only being us."

"What about Kaname Kuran, the love of your life?" Zero questioned gruffly. He was understanding what the brunette was getting at, but refused to believe it when she had someone like Kaname. Yuuki shook her head slowly.

"I still care about him; still love him, but... not in the way I thought I had before," she replied softly, shifting around until she was sitting in his lap, looking straight in his surprised eyes. "Zero... I love you. I always have, even if I never realized it. I know you'll probably never forgive me, but that's why I came back- to tell you that."

Zero let out a ragged breath, staring up at Yuuki like she was out of her mind. She had just come right out and said it, hadn't she? Just told him straight out that she loved him. What could he say back? Of course, he loved her as well, but would it really be true? It had to be a lie- it _had_ to be!

Without thinking, Zero reached out a hand and tangled his fingers into Yuuki's hair at the back of her head, pulling her down until their lips were only inches from each other. Both of them were by now breathing heavily, the atmosphere causing them to ache for the other. Despite the closed gap between them, the two didn't tear their eyes away from each other; they continued to look at the other with held-back desire and adoration, feelings which had been previously been locked away and only broken out from the time they'd been apart.

"Are you telling the truth? Because... Because I love you, too, Yuuki," Zero gasped out, dying to just fill the space between them and kiss the girl again.

"I promise. I love you, Zero," Yuuki assured the older teen before suddenly, the silver-haired hunter tugged her toward him and kissed her deeply and gently, as though sealing their now spoken bond together.


End file.
